Whitecaps have turned into a fun bunch

Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun columnist06.05.2014

Vancouver Whitecaps' Matias Laba, left, of Argentina, Seattle Sounders' Kenny Cooper, centre, and Whitecaps' Gershon Koffie, of Ghana, battle for the ball during the first half of an MLS game in Vancouver on Saturday May 24, 2014.

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VANCOUVER — There was a dangerous escalation of tensions Wednesday at the Vancouver Whitecaps' practice.

First, Nigel Reo-Coker, who is from England, pinned Gambian Kekuta Manneh to the ground and squirted water on him after training. For revenge, Gershon Koffie, who is from Ghana, unscrewed a water bottle and poured its contents over Reo-Coker's head. Then, as Koffie foolishly lounged on the grass at UBC talking to other players, oblivious to the dangers around him, Reo-Coker attacked from behind and emptied an entire cooler of ice water over his teammate.

Apparently, the next world war really will be fought over water. Had the Whitecaps' skirmish Wednesday been a cartoon, the following frame would have had Koffie and Manneh piloting a water bomber as it dumped its payload over Reo-Coker.

Later, Jamaican striker Darren Mattocks, naturally suited to play Grumpy last season had the Whitecaps staged a production of Snow White, which actually would have been more entertaining than some of their games, gushed on social media: "I love my teammates. What a great locker room."

The unlikely ringleader of the fun bunch is Matias Laba, a 23-year-old from Argentina whose sense of humour is as wicked as his tackling and not nearly as limited as his English.

"I try it usually, share my humour," Laba explained. "I am happy here. It is important — fun in training, enjoying the group, the coach, everything. Is all important."

It was Laba who diffused genuine tension late in the practice session by clowning around after a testy scrimmage altercation between Jordan Harvey and Omar Salgado — American-on-American violence that had manager Carl Robinson barking angrily at both players before giving Salgado a timeout. Robinson, of course, is from Wales.

What was a Canadian to make of all this?

"It's a great atmosphere to be part of," Niagara Falls, Ont., midfielder Russell Teibert said. "It's hard to have a team that really believes in each other and is happy to be around each other. We have a group here that really gets along well, whether you speak Spanish or English. It's a fun atmosphere. One hundred percent different (than last season).

"The boss plays a big part of that. He's the glue. He brought a lot of these guys in. It's easy to lose a locker room. Maybe at times, that did happen in the past. Robo has done a phenomenal job and plays a huge role in keeping this team together."

Three months into Robinson's first Major League Soccer season in charge, Whitecap practices have become nearly as entertaining as their games, which is saying something.

After a team-bonding visit last week to TheatreSports, Vancouver's famous improv comedy troupe, the Whitecaps went to Portland on Sunday and dramatically ended the Timbers' 22-game unbeaten streak at intimidating Providence Park.

The 4-3 victory improved the Whitecaps' MLS record to 5-2-5 and kept them unbeaten in six games since April 12. The team has 14 goals during its surge and only once in the six games has scored fewer than two goals.

Despite a youthful lineup and the club's underwhelming first three seasons in MLS, this is a team that swaggers. Home and away, the Whitecaps attack with speed and flare. They pressure relentlessly. They fear no one.

When players arrived at the stadium in Portland and exited the team bus, met as all visitors are by a jeering, sneering array of Timber fans, Vancouver star Pedro Morales strutted past the hostile gauntlet while pointing to his Whitecaps' crest.

And when Morales scored his first of two penalties, the midfielder from Chile approached the crowd in a defiant, so-what-are-you-going-to-do-about-it manner.

Robinson has fully opened team practices to the media this season, something former coach Martin Rennie rarely did. Robinson is unconcerned about opponents finding out which players are practising where and what the Whitecaps may be planning. The message: What are you going to do about it?

"You know the way we play," Robinson told reporters Wednesday. "And I'm sure that if other teams do their homework with their scouts, they know the way we play. There's nothing to hide."

The Whitecaps travel today to Philadelphia for Saturday's game against the Union.

"The camaraderie and spirit that they've built among themselves — we've tried to guide them in relation to that, but they built it among themselves — is great," Robinson said. "It's something special we're trying to build here. It's important (the players) go out and enjoy themselves. If they enjoy themselves, they express themselves. And if they express themselves, we play with freedom and I think you see excitement in their football."

The players are having a blast.

"It's great fun," veteran Jay DeMerit said. "The whole thing about chemistry and camaraderie stems from the type of people you bring in. If you get the right personalities, you can jell in days. If you get guys who are willing to work for one other as a foundation, that's an easy thing to build off. Robo has not only brought in good players, but players who will fit into a squad. Personalities may be different, but they're all on board with the common goal."

For three years, soccer fans here looked forward to games in the hope the Whitecaps might provide a good result. Suddenly, they look forward to games because they know the Whitecaps will entertain them, regardless of the score. Even at practice, the Whitecaps can enthrall.

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Whitecaps have turned into a fun bunch

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